Gun mount closure or seal

ABSTRACT

A slot or passage in a gun mount through which a moveable gun barrel extends can be sealed against ambient conditions by using a seal structure having a series of spring fingers normally closing the passage and a cam on the gun barrel for moving the fingers as the barrel is moved in the slot or passage. Preferably, two sets of fingers are used, one on each side of the passage or slot. Preferably the fingers employed are covered with an elastomeric material which is impervious to moisture.

United States Patent 1 Koontz 154] GUN MOUNT CLOSURE OR SEAL [75]Inventor: Robert D. Koontz, Manhattan Beach,Calif.

[73] Assignee: EFMC Corporation, Compton,

. Calif.

[22] Filed: March 30, 1970 [21] App]. No.: 23,858

[52] US. Cl. ..89/36 L [51] Int. Cl. ..F4lh 5/26, F4lh 5/20 [58] Fieldof Search ..89/36 K, 36 L [56] References Cited I UNITED-STATES PATENTS2,331,048 10/1943 Schaaff ..89/36 L 2,353,086 7/1944 Schaaff ..89/36 L vJan. 16, 1973 3,545,770 12/1970 Wheelock ..89/36 L PrimaryExaminer'Benjamin A. Borchelt Assistant ExaminerC. T. JordanAttorney-Edward D. OBrien [57] ABSTRACT A slot or passage in a gun mountthrough which a moveable gun barrel extends can be sealed againstambient conditions by using a seal structure having a series of springfingers normally closing the passage and a cam on the gun barrel formoving the fingers as the barrel is moved in the slot or passage.Preferably, two sets of fingers are used, one on each side of thepassage or slot. Preferably the fingers employed are covered with anelastomeric material which is impervious to moisture.

19 Claims, 5 Drawing Figures PMEMWJM 15 Pm SHEET 1 BF 2 M/I/EA/TOER0552? D. Koo/v72 By EDWARD D. OER/AM Arm/aver GUN MOUNT CLOSURE OR SEALBACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION It is a matter of common knowledge thatcertain types of guns or related missile firing structures are commonlymounted on rotary turrets or turret type structures in such a mannerthat the barrels on such implements of warfare can be rotated in avertical plane so as to be raised or lowered. Many of such turrets areconstructed so as to be enclosed in order to protect those using a gunfrom ambient or related conditions. Such enclosed turrets commonlyconstructed with a gun slot or passage through the barrel on a gunprojects.

The sealing of such a slot or passage around a gun barrel in an enclosedgun turret haspresented a significant problem in the past. Variousexpedients have been suggested for use with gun slots as seals againstambient conditions. Thus, for example, it is known to utilize a movablecanopyand flexible shutter assembly in conjunction with a gun barrel inorder to form a weather seal around such abarrel in a gun turret.Structures of this type are questionably serviceable, provided areasonable degree of protection against rain and the like, and areconsidered to require extensive maintenance.

However, structures of this type are not considered.

to be desirable for use in cold climatic areas because of the problem ofice and snow accumulation. The accumulation of ice around a gun barrelon a naval vessel will frequently be quite pronounced. As such iceaccumulates it will tend to impede or completely stop movement of thegun barrelalong the lengthof the passage or the slot in a gun turret.This type of thing has been encountered even with prior heated sealassemblies. Obviously any such sealing mechanism can impede or block themovement of a gun barrel in a turret under some conditions isdisadvantageous since a gun should always be maintained in a conditionwhere it can be promptly utilized as intended.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION An objective of the present invention is toprovide new and improved closures or seals for use in forming a sealagainst ambient conditions around a gun barrel extending througha slotor passage in a gun mount or turret. It is not to be assumed from thisthat the invention is limited solely to military uses in conjunctionwith a gun barrel. The basic features or principles of this inventioncan be employed with seal structures or closures used to accomodatemovement of various objects or things other than gun barrels through arestricted opening. Thus, a closure ,or seal of the present inventioncan be effectively employed in other than military applications such asin telescopes.

Another objective of the present invention is to provide closures orseal structures which adequately protect against ambient conditions. Aclosely related objective of the invention is to provide such closuresor seal structures which can be used satisfactorily even underconditions where they will be subjected to significant ice or snowaccumulations. Further objectives of the invention are to provideclosures or seal structures as described which may be easily constructedand installed at a comparatively nominal cost, which are capable ofprolonged reliable performance, andwhich are of a purely mechanicalconstruction. This latter is considered to be important since iteliminates the need for electrical deicing means such as are employedwith prior related structures.

In accordance with this invention these objectives are achieved byproviding a closure or seal structure for a passage defined by twoopposed walls which comprises or includes a series of moveable fingerslocated in side by side relationship so as to cover or close such apassage. Each of the fingers used is movable from a normally closedposition in which said passage is covered or closed to an open positionin which a portion of the passage is opened or exposed. Preferably a cammeans is employed to control the movement of the fingers. Preferably thefingers utilized are covered by an impervious elastomeric material. Inthe preferred embodiment of this invention two sets of these fingers areemployed.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS Further details of this invention aswell as other objectives and advantages of it will. be apparent from acareful consideration of the remainder of this specification and theaccompanying drawings in which:

FIG. 1 is a partial isometric view of a gun turret utilizing a presentlypreferred embodiment or form of a gun mount closure or seal of thisinvention;

FIG. 2 is a partial side elevational view, partially in section,indicating the closure or seal shown in F IG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a partial cross-sectional view taken at line 3-3 of FIG. 2;

FIG. 4 is a partial cross-sectional view taken at line 4-4 ofFlG. 2; and

FIG. 5 is a partial cross-sectional view taken at line 5-5 of FIG. 4.

The accompanying drawings are primarily intended to clearly illustratefor explanatory purposes the nature of the presently preferredembodiment or form of the invention. Because of this the drawings arenot to be taken as indicated a precise closure or seal of this inventiondrawn to scale. It will be realized that a number of modifications maybe made in the precise structures shown through the use-or exercise ofroutine engineering skill without departing from the concepts of thedisclosed invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT In the drawings, thereis shown a closure or seal'structure 10 of the present invention used toclose off a slot or passage 12 in a rotatable gun turret 14. Asindicated a gun barrel 16 extends from the interior of the turret 14 outthrough the passage 12. This barrel 16 may be surounded by a housingappearing asa steped shoulder 18 on the barrel 16. The barrel 16 isnormally attached to a conventional mechanism 20 enabling the barrel 16to be raised or lowered. It is to be understood that the construction ofthe turret 14, the barrel l6 and the mechanism 20 forms no part of thisinvention. The invention does, however, utilize the: mechanism 20 inraising and lowering the barrel 16 as hereinafter described so as tooperate the closure or seal 10.

This seal 10 includes a mountingcollar 22 secured completely around thepassage 12 by conventional fastners 24. This collar 22 is a continuousmember having a outwardly away from the turret 14. The flange 26 includes parallel spaced segments 28 serving as two opposed walls whichdefine the sides of the opening through the passage or slot 12. It alsoincludes curved ends 30 defining the extremities of the opening throughthe passage or slot 12.

3 One of the segments 28 carries a set of individual resilient fingers32. The others of the segments 28 carries another set of resilientfingers 34. These fingers 32 and 34 in the two sets indicated arearranged in side by side relationship so as to have adjacent side edges.These fingers 32 and 34 may be formed out of a resilient spring steel orother similiar materials. It is preferred however to manufacture themfrom a known type of polymer impregnated fiberglass material havingresilient properties because of corrosion resistence or otherconsiderations. Such laminates are well known and are commonly used inthe construction of many items such as the turret 14. It is importantthat these fingers 32 and 34 be sufficientiy strong so as to serve asstructural members.

The individual fingers 32' and 34- are preferably joined to the flange26 by other conventional fasteners 36. If desired the fingers32. and 34may be formed so that their ends secured by the fastners 36 are joinedto one another. These fingers 32 and 34 are located along the lengths ofthe segments 28 between curved end closures or close outs. 38 mounted onthe ends 30. These closures 38 are mounted to the flange 26 through theuse of fastners 36 corresponding to the .fastners 36.

The shapes of the fingers 32 and 34 are considered to be important. Bothof these types of fingers extend in substantially an arcuate type pathfrom the flange 26. The fingers 32 are provided with curved flanges 40at their free ends. The fingers 34 are provided complimentary shapedcurved flanges 42 at their free ends. It will be noted that theseflanges 40 and 42 on fingers 32 and 34 on opposite sides of the slot orpassage 12 fit together in a curved type of congruent abutment or jointso as to form a lip like area in the plane of center of the passage 12which is sealed against ambient influences. The nature of these flanges.40 and 42 is such, however, that the fingers 32 and 34 may be pulledapart or pushed apart during the use of the complete seal 10.

In order to provide protection against ambient influences over and abovethat provided by the fingers 32 and 34 themselves it is preferred tolocate on the exposed surfaces of each of the sets of fingers 32 and 34a thin impermeable layer 44 of a stretchable or deformableelastomericmaterial. Such a layer 44 may be conveniently formed out of a siliconerubber or the equivalent. As noted in FIG. 3 portions of the layers 44may be held in place between the flange 26 and the fingers 32 or 34 bythe fastners 36. In all other places the layers 44 may be secured inplace to the fingers 32 or 34 by the use of a conventional adhesive orother equivalent means. These layers 44 completely cover all of theexposed surfaces of the fingers 32 and 34 including the flanges 40 and42. One or both of the layers 44 may be extended so as to go between theabutting surfaces of these flanges 40 and 42 to obtain a maximum sealingaction.

when the flanges 40 and 42 abutt against one another as shown in FIG. 2of the drawing the individual fingers 32 and 34 carrying such abutting,

inasmuch as they seal OK or close the slot 12. With the embodiment ofthe invention shown some of the fingers 32 and 34 are always held in anopen position so as to accomodate the gun barrel 16. This isaccomplished by mounting upon the barrel 16 an opening cam 46.

The construction of this cam 46 is best seen in FIGS. 4 and 5 of thedrawings. It includes a cylindrical hub 48 located concentric to thebarrel 16. This hub 48 carries an internal flange 50 which rests againstthe shoulder 18 and which is secured to the shoulder 18 by otherconventional fastners 52. The end of the hub 48 remote from the flange50 carries a double ended cam surface 54 having a shape resembling aportion of the exterior surface of a common football. If desired thissurface 54 may be coated with an anti-friction composition such as athin Teflon coating (not shown). The entire cam 46 may be formed out ofany convenient material-such as a fiberglass laminate composition.

lt'will be seen from an exaimination of the drawings that the surface'54 of the cam 46 engages fingers 32 and 34 adjacent to the barrel 16 soas to spring outwardly the engaged fingers in order to provide anopening or passage for the barrel 16. As the barrel 16 is moved withinthe passage or slot 12 this surface 54 will engage fingers 32 and 34 inthe direction of movement so as to permit the barrel 16 to travel asindicated. As

successive fingers 32 and 34 are engaged with the cam surface 54 topermit movement of the barrel 16 other of the fingers 32 and 34 will bedisengaged and will slide along the trailing edge of the cam 54 and willmove to a closed position as indicated.

They will move to such a closed position because of the resiliency ofthese fingers 32 and 34 as well as because of the shape of the surface54. Because of this the cam 46 may be considered as a means for moving.the fingers 32 and 34 to a closed position in the sense that the camsurface 54 guides these fingers to a closed position. It will berealized, however, that with the structure shown the fingers 32 and 34automatically will move to a closed position. Because the surface 54 isdouble ended the cam 46 accomplishes its opening and-closing functionregardless of whether it is raised or lowered. The layers 44 areflexible enough and stretchable enough to permit the'motion of thefingers 32 and 34 as described. I 1

If desired a so-called splash boot 56 may be utilized in conjunctionwith the cam 46 in order to minimize any chance of water ingress aroundthe barrel 16 by covering those fingers 32 and 34 held in an open position. The particular boot 56 shown has a cylindrical center 58 extendingconcentric to the barrel 16. lt'also has an inwardly extending terminalflange 60 which is also held by the fastners 52 against the shoulder 18.The boot 56 also has a terminal cap-like cover62 located on the center58 so as to extend over those finor lowered with respect to the passageor slot 12. As this occurs the cam 46 operates asdescribed to flexadjacent fingers 32 and 34 to permit barrel movement. Such flexure isconsidered to be highly desirable since it will result in the bending ofany accumulation of ice or similiar material on the exposed surfaces ofthe layers 44. This will crack such ice so that it will tend to fall offrelatively easily. Because of the mode operation of the seal structureor closure there is virtually no chance of an accumulation of ice or thelike jamming up or otherwise precluding the opening of the closure 10.This is particularly the case when the boot 56 is flexible so that ifice or the like should get under it it will flex, permitting such ice tofall out from under it duringmovement of the barrel 16. The closure orsea] structure 10 thus provides adequate protection against otherambient conditions such as rain which might prove detrimental.

With the seal structure or closure 10 the amount of flexure or movementof the fingers 32 and 34 necessary to accomplish the mode of operationdescribed is comparatively limited. This is because each of the fingers32 and 34 is moved'or flexed only a distance which is slightly greaterthan one-half of the diameter of the barrel 16. If this barrel 16 is ofa comparatively small diameter a useable seal structure can be obtainedby using only one set of fingers mounted so as to engage a fixed wall ina closed position instead of two sets as described. With this type ofstructure a slightly different shaped cam then the cam 46 should beemployed.

I claim:

1. A closure for a passage defined by two opposed walls which comprises:

a series of self-supporting fingers located in side by side relationshipalong one of said walls, said fingers extending from said wall,

said fingers each having a normal closed position, said passage beingcovered by said fingers in said closed position,

each of said fingers being movable to an open position, each of saidfingers serving to open a portion of said passage when in said openposition, and

a cam means movable with respect to said walls and said passage forsequentially moving said fingers from said closed position to said openposition and then to said closed position as said cam means is movedwith respect to said passage.

2, A closure as claimed in claim 1 including:

a flexible impervious covering located on said fingers, said coveringserving to close off the spaces between said fingers.

3. A closure as claimed in claim 1 wherein:

said fingers are flexible and are capable of being flexed by said cammeans.

4. A closure as claimed in claim 1 wherein:

1 said fingers are flat, resilient fingers capable of being bent by saidcam means and are capable of retuming to said closed position because oftheir resiliency when not contacted by said cam means.

5. A closure as claimed in claim 4 including:

a flexible impervious covering located on said fingers, said coveringserving to close off the space between said fingers.

6. A closure as claimed in claim 1 wherein:

said passage is a gun slot and including a gun barrel extending throughsaid passage, said gun barrel being capable of being moved between theends of said passage and wherein said cam means is a cam mounted on said5 gun barrel.

7. A closure as claimed in claim 1 wherein:

there are two sets of said fingers, one of said sets being mounted onone of said walls and the other of said set being mounted on the otherof said- 10 walls, the fingers on said sets coming together in theirclosed positions generally between said walls so as to close off saidpassage.

8. A closure as claimed in claim 7 including:

a flexible impervious covering located on each of said sets of fingers,said coverings serving to close off the spaces between the fingers ofsaid sets.

9. A closure as claimed in claim 7 wherein:

said fingers are flexible and :are capable of being flexed by said cammeans.

10. A closure as claimed in claim 7 wherein:

said fingers in each of said sets are flat, resilient fingers capable ofbeing bent to said open position by said cam means and are capable ofreturning to said closed position because of their resiliency when notcontacted by said cam means.

1 1. A closure as claimed in claim 10 including:

a flexible impervious covering located on each of said sets of fingers,said coverings serving to close off the spaces between the fingers ofsaid sets.

12. A closure as claimed in claim 7 wherein:

said passage is a gun slot and 7 including a gun barrel extendingthrough said passage between said sets of fingers, said g'un barof saidpassage and wherein said cam means is a cam mounted on said barrel. 13.A closure as claimed in claim 12 wherein:

said fingers in each of said sets are flat, resilient fin- 40 gerscapable of being bent to said open position by said cam means and arecapable of returning to said closed position because of their resiliencywhen not contacted by said cam means,

a flexible impervious covering located on each of said sets of finger,said coverings serving to close ofi' the spaces between the fingers ofsaid sets.

14. A closure as claimed in claim 13 including:

splash boot means located on said cam and extending around said gunbarrel between said fingers and over the fingers held in an openposition by said cam means for covering the fingers held in an openposition.

15. A closure for a passage defined by two opposed walls, which closurecomprises:

a set of movable fingers mounted on one of said walls and extending awayfrom said one of said walls, said fingers being located parallel to oneanother,

a flexible, impervious cover carried by said fingers of said set servingto close off the spaces between said fingers, said fingers in said sethaving normal closed positions in which they extend so as to hold saidcovering so that said passage is closed, each of said fingers in saidset being movable to an open position in which a finger so moved andsaid covering adjacent to any such finger are located so as to exposeand open a portion of said passage,

rel being capable of being moved between the ends a cam means forsequentially moving said fingers of said set from said closed to saidopen position, said cam means being movable between said walls andengaging said fingers as it is moved.

16. A closure as claimed in claim wherein:

said cam means is capable of simultaneously moving a finger of said setto said open position and another finger of said set to said closedposition as said cam means is moved along the length of said set offingers.

17. A closure as claimed in claim 15 wherein:

said fingers are resilient and because of their resiliency will returnto said closed position from said open after being opened by said cammeans.

18. A closure as claimed in claim 15 wherein:

said cam means is capable of simultaneously moving a finger of said setto said open position and another finger of said set to said closedposition as said cam means is moved along the length of said set offingers,

said sets of fingers being mounted on opposite walls of said passage,the fingers within both of said sets having extremities which fittogether when said fingers are in said closed position, a secondflexible, impervious cover serving to close off the speces between saidfingers of said second of said sets, and wherein said cam meanssimultaneously engages fingers of both of said sets and is capable ofsimultaneously moving fingers of both of said sets from closed positionsto open positions.

1. A closure for a passage defined by two opposed walls which comprises: a series of self-supporting fingers located in side by side relationship along one of said walls, said fingers extending from said wall, said fingers each having a normal closed pOsition, said passage being covered by said fingers in said closed position, each of said fingers being movable to an open position, each of said fingers serving to open a portion of said passage when in said open position, and a cam means movable with respect to said walls and said passage for sequentially moving said fingers from said closed position to said open position and then to said closed position as said cam means is moved with respect to said passage.
 2. A closure as claimed in claim 1 including: a flexible impervious covering located on said fingers, said covering serving to close off the spaces between said fingers.
 3. A closure as claimed in claim 1 wherein: said fingers are flexible and are capable of being flexed by said cam means.
 4. A closure as claimed in claim 1 wherein: said fingers are flat, resilient fingers capable of being bent by said cam means and are capable of returning to said closed position because of their resiliency when not contacted by said cam means.
 5. A closure as claimed in claim 4 including: a flexible impervious covering located on said fingers, said covering serving to close off the space between said fingers.
 6. A closure as claimed in claim 1 wherein: said passage is a gun slot and including a gun barrel extending through said passage, said gun barrel being capable of being moved between the ends of said passage and wherein said cam means is a cam mounted on said gun barrel.
 7. A closure as claimed in claim 1 wherein: there are two sets of said fingers, one of said sets being mounted on one of said walls and the other of said set being mounted on the other of said walls, the fingers on said sets coming together in their closed positions generally between said walls so as to close off said passage.
 8. A closure as claimed in claim 7 including: a flexible impervious covering located on each of said sets of fingers, said coverings serving to close off the spaces between the fingers of said sets.
 9. A closure as claimed in claim 7 wherein: said fingers are flexible and are capable of being flexed by said cam means.
 10. A closure as claimed in claim 7 wherein: said fingers in each of said sets are flat, resilient fingers capable of being bent to said open position by said cam means and are capable of returning to said closed position because of their resiliency when not contacted by said cam means.
 11. A closure as claimed in claim 10 including: a flexible impervious covering located on each of said sets of fingers, said coverings serving to close off the spaces between the fingers of said sets.
 12. A closure as claimed in claim 7 wherein: said passage is a gun slot and including a gun barrel extending through said passage between said sets of fingers, said gun barrel being capable of being moved between the ends of said passage and wherein said cam means is a cam mounted on said barrel.
 13. A closure as claimed in claim 12 wherein: said fingers in each of said sets are flat, resilient fingers capable of being bent to said open position by said cam means and are capable of returning to said closed position because of their resiliency when not contacted by said cam means, a flexible impervious covering located on each of said sets of finger, said coverings serving to close off the spaces between the fingers of said sets.
 14. A closure as claimed in claim 13 including: splash boot means located on said cam and extending around said gun barrel between said fingers and over the fingers held in an open position by said cam means for covering the fingers held in an open position.
 15. A closure for a passage defined by two opposed walls, which closure comprises: a set of movable fingers mounted on one of said walls and extending away from said one of said walls, said fingers being located parallel to one another, a flexible, impervious cover carried by said fingers of said set serving tO close off the spaces between said fingers, said fingers in said set having normal closed positions in which they extend so as to hold said covering so that said passage is closed, each of said fingers in said set being movable to an open position in which a finger so moved and said covering adjacent to any such finger are located so as to expose and open a portion of said passage, a cam means for sequentially moving said fingers of said set from said closed to said open position, said cam means being movable between said walls and engaging said fingers as it is moved.
 16. A closure as claimed in claim 15 wherein: said cam means is capable of simultaneously moving a finger of said set to said open position and another finger of said set to said closed position as said cam means is moved along the length of said set of fingers.
 17. A closure as claimed in claim 15 wherein: said fingers are resilient and because of their resiliency will return to said closed position from said open after being opened by said cam means.
 18. A closure as claimed in claim 15 wherein: said cam means is capable of simultaneously moving a finger of said set to said open position and another finger of said set to said closed position as said cam means is moved along the length of said set of fingers, said fingers are resilient and because of their resiliency will return to said closed position from said open after being opened by said cam means.
 19. A closure as claimed in claim 15 including: a second set of movable fingers corresponding to said first mentioned set, said sets of fingers being mounted on opposite walls of said passage, the fingers within both of said sets having extremities which fit together when said fingers are in said closed position, a second flexible, impervious cover serving to close off the speces between said fingers of said second of said sets, and wherein said cam means simultaneously engages fingers of both of said sets and is capable of simultaneously moving fingers of both of said sets from closed positions to open positions. 